Ballard , Francis , 1896-1976 , botanist

Ballard was born in London 18th March 1896 and died Chiswick, Middlesex on 25th January 1976. He graduated with a BSc in London in 1927 before being appointed temporary assistant at the Herbarium at RBG Kew on 23/09/1929. He was later made a permanent member of staff there on 1 January 1946. During his career Ballard worked as a pteriodologist (fern specialist), travelling to work with Carl Christensen, in Copenhagen 'the greatest authority on ferns in Europe' in 1937, and to Ceylon with Irene Manton and Sledge in 1950 to look at the native flora there. Ballard finally retired from the Herbarium at Kew in 1961. Ballard was also involved with international botanical work including the Special Committee for Pteridophyta, which he worked with Pichi-Sermolli, Alston, Copeland, Holttum, Morton and Tardieu-Blot.